Canberra man pours gasoline on police officers and threatens to set him on fire

A police officer was allegedly doused in petrol by a man who tried to set him on fire during a horrific backyard brawl.

Police arrested the 43-year-old man at a property in Tuggeranong, south Canberra, after he was called to the home around 8pm Tuesday night Reports of a disruption.

When they arrived, officers were told the man smashed a window to get into the house, attacked his ex-partner and threatened to set the house on fire.

A man has been arrested after he allegedly tried to set fire to a Canberra police officer after dousing him with petrol

The man was at the back of the property in a shed where he allegedly set fire to a freezer after pouring petrol on it.

As police removed the man from the shed, he allegedly poured petrol on an officer while attempting to ignite the fuel with a lighter as he “violently” resisted arrest.

The police managed to subdue the man with pepper spray and handcuffed him.

Police say they were forced to use pepper spray (pictured) to overpower the 43-year-old man

The fire in the shed was put out by a family member with a garden hose.

After the man was taken to hospital for an assessment, the man was charged with aggravated assault, assaulting a police officer and vandalism.

He was due to appear in ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where police would proceed on bail.